Exploring Knowledge Sharing and Community of Practice Development: A Stakeholders Analysis of Social Service Organizations in a Midwestern Underserved Community

Community social service organizations are indispensable for supporting vulnerable populations with multifaceted challenges, such as housing instability and food insecurity, particularly in high-poverty areas where access to essential resources is limited. Effective information and knowledge sharing enables these organizations to offer timely and comprehensive services to these groups. Despite increasing research on social services and emerging technologies, little is known about how knowledge is shared in community-based social service settings or how technology can enhance these complex processes. This paper presents findings from an ethnographic study conducted at four community organizations in an underserved community in the Midwest of the United States. Through observations and thematic analysis, we identify key stakeholders that participate in knowledge sharing, including staff and service users, and examine their roles in developing Communities of Practice (CoP). Our study reveals the dynamics of knowledge sharing and highlights opportunities for leveraging technology to support CoP within community social services. These findings contribute to discussions on designing socio-technical systems for improving information sharing in resource-constrained environments.